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REVIEW ~ “BIG EYES” (2014)

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“Big Eyes” is the story of the very famous tale of 1950’s art sensation “Walter Keane” (Christoph Waltz), known for painting waifish children with large, eerie eyes, and was scandalously revealed to have been stealing recognition for the work which was actually painted by his wife, “Margaret Keane” (Amy Adams), the whole time.(Note: Release date for this film is 25th of December, 2014)

2 things of note here: 1. This is not your typical Tim Burton movie. If you want another ‘Beetlejuice’ or ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ type movie, this isn’t it. Maybe a little ‘Ed Wood’, but then no..not really!! It’s a completely off the map of his usual as it’s a biography/drama. 2. Oddly enough I could not get the chorus of the Cheap Trick song “Big Eyes” out of my head while watching this movie. It fit it so perfectly..yeah I know..it’s just me. 😀
This story is narrated throughout by real-life San Francisco Examiner columnist “Dick Nolan” (Danny Huston) many times noting his own personal thoughts/feelings from ‘behind the scenes’ so to speak. Beginning in the what I presume to be the early 1950’s, we see Margaret walk out on her first marriage, with her young ‘muse’ daughter “Jane” (Delaney Raye) in tow. She meets fellow-artist Walter while selling her works and drawing caricatures in the park in San Francisco’s North Beach area. They start dating and she becomes intoxicated by him with his stories of all his travels along with the fact that he’s lived in Paris where he studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and drew inspiration for his many Montmartre street scenes and was an considered an ‘acclaimed’ artist there though he’s actually in real estate – go figure. In order to keep her ex-husband at bay as concerns about custody rights arise (since single mothers of the era weren’t treated kindly in the court system), she decides to marry Walter, despite the unease of her close friend “DeeAnn” (Krysten Ritter) who is only to aware of his womanizing reputation that proceeds him. A mistake leads to Walter taking credit for Margaret’s work, and before long, it’s a lie they are both complicit in feeding at the beginning.
With a shotgun Hawaiian wedding & honeymoon behind them, we see Walter back to shopping his paintings around town using his talent not only as a salesman, but his adeptness as a showman and self-promoter shopping not only his own work per-se’, but Margaret’s as well. Finally convincing local big-shot club owner “Enrico Banducci” (Jon Polito) to show the paintings at the famous nightclub “The Hungry i” where it seems the patrons finding themselves more inclined towards Margaret’s work rather than his. As all the works are signed “Keane” you see where this story is heading as the lie becomes harder & harder to expose as Margaret’s art is becoming a complete world cultural phenonmenon like nothing ever before seen in the art world. Walter is giving away special originals to everyone from movie stars to politicians & dignitaries and biggest coo of all, Andy Warhol gives him a shout-out compliment. Although all along we can see his true agenda is he just wants to be around the famous and be famous. Before we can blink, we see Walter opening his own gallery across the street no less from a rather hipster-for the time-local gallery curator “Ruben” (Jason Schwartzman) selling prints, posters, postcards..being interviewed on TV explaining the creation process, his ‘motivation’ behind the portraits. All of this is being watched by Margaret as she sits in her studio painstakingly painting away.

As we watch the lie slowly but surely start to unfold, we also see that while Walter is as charming as can be on the outside, his inside reveals what a smarmy character he really is as Margaret finds out about lie after lie he’s told. His whole past is truly just that, one big lie as he was never an artist and seemly stole someone else’s paintings even before they met. Margaret, on the other hand seems almost helpless to stop it as the betrayal is not only shocking to her and her now almost grown daughter (Madeleine Arthur steps in as teenage Jane) who has figured out the big picture here also. But seemingly they are both to frightened of Walter at this point, whose drinking exacerbates his rollercoaster moods, to reveal the true painter behind as her paintings are now monopolized to the tune of a very large enterprise, labeled as “an infinity of kitsch” by new York Times art critic “John Canaday” played wonderfully by Terence Stamp, one of the major influences of the art world at that time.
As Margaret finally runs away again from another bad marriage, she finds herself back in Hawaii painting without an outlet when comes a knock at the door in the form of Jehovah’s Witness ladies. Now I always thought though they were always friendly enough, it just never failed that they came at the most inopportune of moments like when you just poured milk on your cereal & such and were mostly just tolerated. I never though it actually worked as a recruitment strategy, but alas I am proven wrong as that is just how Margaret finally gets the wherewithall to stand up for herself. They move on to an all out confrontation with an over-the-top circus quality type trial lead a bit humorously by James Saito as the judge. In the end it all comes down to a ‘draw-off’ which as we know only Margaret can win and does as she is finally recognized as the true artist behind “Big Eyes”.

The performances are strong here by both Waltz & Adams though not as strong for me as say American Hustle in which she was pure gold in. Though with Best Actress category being rather light this year, I can definitely see Adams getting another nomination for this role.

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11 thoughts on “REVIEW ~ “BIG EYES” (2014)”

Amy Adams is one of my favorites. Now that I think about it, I realize that yeah, there hasn’t been much buzz around the Best Actress category (in contrast to the Best Actor category). I can see Adams getting a nod, along with Julianne Moore for Still Alice, Reese Witherspoon for Wild, Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything, and Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl.

Looking forward to watching this when it’s released. There are going to be a TON of movies on Christmas Day.

you are SO right..there is simply a TON of films coming out Xmas day..and my tradition is to take my mom to a movie she picks..uh oh!! hahahaha But yeah the Best Actor category is literally filling up fast..but Best Actress not so much..add Jessica Chastain in for “A Most Violent Year” (review coming soon I swear! ha!) and heard nothing but good things about Julianne Moore/Still Alice..Saw Theory of Everything yesterday..loved it..loved Felicity Jones in it. almost saw Foxcatcher instead..trying to fit it in next week..but I have “Wild”on Tues, Whiplash again on Wed cuz J.K. is going to be there & I can’t miss that!!:) Sat is American Sniper, Sunday, Inherent Vice and following Tues is Selma.. there are TOO MANY..i’m exhausted.. I can’t wait to read your Foxcatcher tho! yay!

I looked up A Most Violent Year online, and I saw Chastain listed as a Supporting Actress on various sites. From the trailer, it looks like she’d be a lead one, but I’m not entirely sure. Nevertheless, really, really excited about her in that (she’s amazing in everything), along with Oscar Isaac. Do you know when you’re seeing that?

Wow, full schedule! Some other movies I can think of: Mr. Turner has been getting great reviews, and Unbroken seems to be a big awards hope for the studios.

I saw A Most Violent Year on the 17th of this month..so about 10+ days ago.. Q & A afterwards with Jessica, Oscar & producers.. it’s a very different type movie..not what you would think from the title. I liked it..Jessica could be considered either I guess..tho I would consider it Best Actress as she is the female lead. But yes, supporting more or less to Oscar’s character. oh and you just reminded me of Mr. Turner..not only have I heard that the film is fantastic, but Timothy Spall is great in it. I’m also a big Turner art fan. no screenings as of yet and it doesn’t come out here till the 19th of Dec. SEE ..SO MANY MOVIES!!! Unbroken is what I hope my mom picks for Xmas day! 😀 I’m almost thankful Homeland/The Affair is on a 2 weeks hiatus. I can’t keep up. I went to a screening of Birdman tonight though I already saw it months ago..but I love it!

I’m not sure why….but this flick sounds extremely boring to me. The first pictures that surfaced and the trailer itself never helped the change my mind. Your review is somewhat positive and I know the performances will be good, yet I’m not sure if I ever will see this!

I can totally understand that. It’s one of those movies you really have to want to watch and since I remember my mom having 2 of these posters hanging up..it just had a little childhood thing attached for me too! 😀 and well Tim Burton and the cast also! ha!

We need more movies with Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams! Waltz makes for such a good villain and Adams is a great complicated victim: she is allowing the abuse to happen to her and she has to figure out a way out.

I know I’m late to the party but I only recently found this little gem of a film. Amy Adams is excellent in the role; Waltz is an overcooked caricature of all his former evil personas; and its a fascinating story too. Sometimes we just expect too much. This achieves what a good bio-pic should do: tell an interesting story that people want to hear and produce it with a strong cast.